Improvement in fence-barbs



A. J. .NEL LIS.

FENCE-BARB,

No. 191,011. Patented May 22,1877.

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AARON J. NELLIS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-BARBS.

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 191,01 I, dated May 22,1877; application filed March 15, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AARON J. NELLIs, ofPittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and .State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new fence rail or strip having my improvement applied. Fig.2is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached view of one of thespringbarbs, and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating how the barb-blank maybe advantageously formed.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to improvements in barbs for metallic fence railsor strips; and consists in a spring clamp or loop, furnished withprojecting points, which may be readily slipped upon a fence-rail, ofhoop-iron or like character, and will retain its position firmly uponthe rail or hoop.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a cheap and effectivebarb for metallic fences without slotting, cutting, or otherwisereducing the strength of the fence strip or rail, and also a barb whichcan be readily applied, either before or after the fence is put up, andwithout special tool or appliances.

I will now proceed to describe my invention so that others skilled inthe art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawing, A represents a metallic rail or fence-strip, which maybe hoop-iron, Bessemer steel, or other suitable metal, either plain orcorrugated longitudinally, as preferred. B

represents the spring or clamp barb, madevfrom elastic metal, preferablyspring-steel,

though any metal which can be looped and has sufficient spring to clampthe rail will answer. In forming the barbs, I find it convenient to takea strip or plate of metal similar to that shown in the diagram, Fig. 4,having straight and parallel edges, and cut the same diagonally, asindicated by dotted lines, by which means the points of the barbs areformed at one and the same operation. The blank thus obtained is thenbent by suitable mechanism into the form shown in Fig. 3-that is, havinga loop or yoke, b, preferably with contracted opening at the point b, soas toincrease the clamping effect, and with points or barbs at,extending at an angle to the body or loop b. Ifdesired, the point a maybe twisted, as shown, to increase the strength of the point and thespring of the clamp.

Where the barb is made from a straight piece of metal, or is outdirectly across the bar, it will have to be pointed as well as looped,thus increasing the labor of manufacture. If the barb is intended for acorrugated rail, the loop b will have to be made wider and with morespring than when used for a plain rail or strip. The barb is applied tothe rail or strip, either before or after the fence is in position, byslipping the loop or yoke over the edge of the rail and driving it downwith a.hammer or like instrument.

The advantages of my invention are that a cheap and effective barb isobtained, one easily applied, and which, while retaining its positionfirmly upon the rail, can be removed and reapplied at pleasure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut is- 4 1: A spring-clamp fence-barb of flat, elasticmetal, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with a fence rail or strip A, a detachable elasticmetal spring-clamp barb B, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I, the said AARON J. NELLIS, have hereunto set myhand.

v AARON J. NELLIS.

Witnesses:

JAMES I. KAY, J. K. SMITH.

